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Posts Tagged ‘Food’

Moules Marinière

Posted in Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , on 20 February 2014| 2 Comments »

We love this Normandy classic and have been known to make Moules Marinières as an impromptu supper served with some skinny fries or crusty bread. No other dish is as reminiscent of holidays in France and mussels are also very cheap. What could be better? 

Wine Suggestion: You can’t go wrong with a good old Muscadet here. Just the thing to complement the dish and shouldn’t blow the budget. Unfortunately Muscadet has had a few good quality but low quantity vintages so it may be a bit more scarce than usual. 

Moules Marinière – to serve 4

  • 2kg mussels
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • a small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
  •  50g butter, chilled
  • 150ml water
  • 150ml dry white wine

Melt half the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and shallots and sweat for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the water, wine and half the parsley and simmer for 5-10 minute. 

Add the mussels, cover the pan quickly with a tight lid and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, giving the pan a good shake occasionally. Check if the mussels are open, if most of them are still closed, cover and cook for another minute or two, or until opened. 

Drain the mussels in a colander over a bowl to catch the liquid and discard any that haven’t opened. Cover the mussels with a pan lid to keep them warm. Pour the mussel liquid back into the pan and boil until it has a strong concentrated flavour. Reduce the heat. 

Cut up the remaining butter into small pieces and whisk into the sauce, piece by piece. Taste and season. 

Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl, pour over the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. 

(Original recipe from Leiths: How to Cook, Quadrille, 2013.)

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A Classic and Easy Lasagne

Posted in Beef, Food, Italian, Party Food, tagged , , , , , , on 17 February 2014| Leave a Comment »

This recipe comes in two parts, with the first an easy to make a Bolognese Ragù which tastes good but is not really exciting or flavour-packed like we like. When created into a lasagne, however, it really sings with a perfect balance of flavour.

The recipe takes a while, but is actually quite easy, especially if you make the ragù the day before. We made two lasagne this time which served eight people over two days amply. Alternately, make a big tray of it for a larger crowd.

Ragù – serves 6-8

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 3 sticks of celery, finely diced
  • 1 leek, finely diced
  • 1 kg minced beef/pork (or half and half)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 200ml white or red wine
  • 2-3 tbsp sugar

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300°F/Gas mark 2.

Put a large ovenproof casserole on a medium heat and heat the olive oil. Tip in the onion, garlic, celery and leek. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes or until softened. Turn the heat to high, add the meat and stir to break up, cooking until there are no longer any pink bits.

Add the bay leaf with the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, wine and sugar, and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and cook for about 1 hour in the oven. Season to taste.

Lasagne – serves 6-8

  • 1 quantity of cooked ragù
  • 12-16 sheets of pre-cooked dried lasagne
  • 100g Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 50g Parmesan, grated

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE 

  • 70g butter
  • 70g plain flour
  • 1 litre milk
  • 200g Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

First make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk and bring to the boil, whisking continuously until the sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese and mustard, seasoning with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Put a thin layer of ragù in the bottom of an ovenproof dish (20 x 30cm), cover with a layer of the cheese sauce, then add lasagne sheets to cover, in a single layer. Repeat this process, finishing with a layer of pasta topped with cheese sauce only.

Sprinkle over both cheeses and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.

(Original recipe from Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen by Rachel Allen, HarperCollins, 2013.)

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Nigella’s Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Posted in Dessert, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 14 February 2014| 1 Comment »

We gave each other a food mixer for Christmas and hence have baked more cakes in the last month than we’ve made in all our years of blogging. This one can be mixed up really quickly and can be made wheat-free for our coeliac friends with no adverse affect. We made this example with wheat; the wheat-free version which substitutes nuts (ground almonds) for the flour is  more squidgy and dessert-like.

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake 

  • 150ml olive oil (not extra virgin), plus extra for greasing
  • 50g good quality cocoa powder
  • 125ml boiling water
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 125g plain flour (OR 150g ground almonds)
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • a pinch of salt
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/Gas 3/325ºF.

Grease a 22 or 23cm springform tin with a little olive oil and line the base with baking parchment.

Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl and whisk in the boiling water to give a smooth paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool a little.

In another bowl, combine the flour (or ground almonds) with the bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt.

Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or use whatever bowl and whisk you have) and beat vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale yellow and thickened cream.

Turn down the speed a little and add the cocoa mixture. When this is mixed in, add the flour (or ground almond) mixture.

Scrape down and stir a little with a spatula, then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre still looks slightly damp. A skewer inserted into the cake should come out mostly clean.

Cool on a wire rack, still in the tin, for 10 minutes before easing the sides gently away with a metal spatula and springing out of the tin. Leave to cool completely and serve with cream and berries or eat while still warm with ice-cream.

(Original recipe from Nigella.com)

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Broccoli and Stilton Soup

Posted in Food, Soup, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 12 February 2014| 2 Comments »

We love cheese after dinner but it seems a bit indulgent during the week and therefore we inevitably end up with chunks of cheese lurking in the back of the fridge. We try our best not to waste any food but something as expensive and delicious as cheese (particularly the cheese pantry stuff as opposed to the supermarket plastic-wrapped kind) is even more of a travesty to not use. That’s when recipes like this one are perfect for a mid-week treat without having to indulge in a two-course evening meal.

Broccoli & Stilton Soup – to serve 4

  • 2 tbsp flavourless oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, sliced
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1 medium potato, diced
  • a knob of butter
  • 1 litre of good chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped (including stalks)
  • 140g Stilton (or other blue cheese), crumbled

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions until soft but not coloured. Add a splash of water if they start to catch.

Add the celery, leek, potato and butter. Stir until the butter melts, then cover with a lid and sweat for 5 minutes.

Pour in stock and add any chunks of broccoli stalk. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Add the remaining broccoli and cook for another 5 minutes. Whizz until smooth, then stir in the stilton. Season with black pepper (you are unlikely to need salt) and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Vichy Carrots

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10 February 2014| Leave a Comment »

This is a classic French side dish which remarkably improves steamed carrots and we find impresses guests too despite being easy to cook.

Vichy carrots – serves 4

  • 6-8 carrots
  • 15g butter
  • small pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • few mint sprigs
  • few parsley sprigs
  • black pepper

Peel the carrots and cut into batons.

Put the butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently. Stir in the carrots and add enough water to come halfway up.

Increase the heat to medium and partially cover. Simmer until the carrots are tender and most of the water has evaporated.

Turn down the heat and remove the lid. Reduce the remaining liquid to a glaze, stirring to ensure the carrots are evenly coated and don’t stick.

Finely chop the mint and parsley – you need about a ¼ tsp of each. Season with pepper, stir in the herbs and serve.

(Original recipe from Leiths How to Cook, Quadrille Publishing Limited, 2013)

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Lamb Cutlets with Mint, Chilli & Golden Potatoes

Posted in Food, Lamb, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on 22 January 2014| 2 Comments »

This dish looks really good and is really very little effort. Perfect for last minute entertaining.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve successfully drunk fresh whites like Pecorino from Italy and crisp Sauvignon Chardonnay blends from Cheverny, Loire as well as  Chianti, Rioja and cool-climate Syrah/Shiraz from Australia and the have all gone very well. This is a sociable dish so think of a sociable wine and it seems to work a treat!

Lamb cutlets with mint, chilli & golden potatoes – serves 4

  • 500g baby new potatoes, halved
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • ½ tsp celery (or ordinary) salt
  • 8 lamb cutlets
  • 100g rocket
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Put the potatoes on to steam.

Mix the olive oil, chilli flakes and celery salt in a large tray. Add the lamb chops and turn to coat well in the oil. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan and fry the chops over a medium heat for 5 minutes (you won’t need any extra oil). Turn the cutlets over and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side (or longer if you prefer).

Meanwhile, drain the steamed potatoes once they are tender and leave to dry in the pot.

Use the rocket to line a platter. When the chops are cooked remove them from the pan and arrange on top of the rocket.

Add the potatoes to the pan and fry for 3 minutes on each side or until hot and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the platter. Sprinkle the dish with the sea salt and fresh herbs to serve.

(Original recipe from Nigella Lawson’s Nigellissima, Chatto & Windus, 2012.)

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Banana Pancakes with Maple Syrup and Smokey Bacon

Posted in Brunch, Food, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on 20 January 2014| 2 Comments »

We made this for a Saturday breakfast and really enjoyed the playful balance of flavours. The pancakes are light, fluffy and not too sweet.

Banana pancakes with maple syrup and smokey bacon – serves 4

  • 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon (or pancetta strips)
  • 140g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
  • 2 ripe bananas, 1 mashed, 1 thinly sliced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 25g butter, melted, plus a little extra
  • 125ml milk
  • maple syrup

Cook the bacon or pancetta under a hot grill, on a tray lined with foil, until crispy and keep warm.

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the mashed banana, eggs, butter and milk. Whisk until you have a smooth batter without any floury lumps.

Heat a little butter in a large frying pan until sizzling. Ladle in small dollops of batter and put a few slices of banana on the surface of each pancake. Cook for 2 minutes over a medium heat and turn when bubbles appear on the surface of the batter. Cook for 1 more minute on the other side or until puffed up and golden brown. Keep warm while you use the rest of the batter. Serve the pancakes topped with the crispy bacon and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Marscarpone, Mushroom & Marsala Fettucini

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 17 January 2014| 8 Comments »

Marscapone & Marsala Fettucini

A rich and indulgent pasta dish and quite a hefty portion but as Nigella points out there is little point in leaving 50g of fettuccine in the box for another time!

Fettuccine with Mushrooms, Marsala & Mascarpone – serves 2

  • 15g dried porcini
  • 60ml Marsala
  • 125g mascarpone
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley plus more to serve
  • 250g  fettuccine (or tagliatelle)
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • small clove of garlic, crushed
  • 4 tbsp grated Parmesan

Measure the porcini into a very small saucepan, cover with the Marsala and 60ml water, put on the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts to boil, turn off the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Put the mascarpone into a bowl with a good grating of fresh nutmeg and ground pepper. When the porcini have finished soaking, strain the liquid into the bowl and fork together to combine.

Squeeze the porcini out over the bowl, then chop on a board along with the parsley.

Cook the fettuccine in a large pan of boiling salted water.

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the garlic, stirring over the heat for a minute, then add the porcini and parsley mixture and cook for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone and stir until the sauce bubbles, then turn the heat off.

Reserve a small cup of the pasta cooking water before draining and tipping the pasta into the sauce. Add a little pasta water to loosen as it will thicken on standing.

Add the Parmesan and check the seasoning before serving with some extra parsley.

(Original recipe from Nigella Lawson’s Nigellissima, Chatto & Windus, 2012).

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Lamb & Dauphinoise Hotpot

Posted in Food, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , on 13 January 2014| 1 Comment »

Lamb Dauphinoise Hotpot

Winter comfort food; the sweet potato topping is nice for a change and works well adding a layer of earthiness that suits the season. You will need to start this the night before but its very easy so don’t be daunted.

Wine Suggestion: We think southern Rhône reds rule here, especially a grenache dominant blend with a little bit of age where the heady spices become more velvety but you’ve retained enough tannins to work with the proteins in the lamb. The sweet spices and juicy fruit complement the sweet potato whereas a drier wine would fight with these flavours, so be careful of more traditional lamb matches like Bordeaux blends and Rioja / Tempranillo.

Lamb & Dauphinoise Hotpot – serves 8

  • 3 large carrots, cut into chunks
  • 1 onion roughly, chopped
  • 1 bulb of garlic, split in 2
  • few sprigs of rosemary
  • few sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2.5kg shoulder of lamb on the bone
  • 1 bottle red wine

For the topping: 

  • 4-5 potatoes
  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 150ml double cream
  • few knobs of butter

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Use a flameproof casserole big enough to fit the lamb. Put in all the vegetables and herbs and stir in the tomato purée. Put the lamb on top, pour over the wine and season well. Cover and heat on top of the stove, then transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours. Remove the lamb from the oven, leave to cool, then chill overnight.

The next day, remove all the hard fat from around then lamb. Lift the lamb out of the dish, scraping off and keeping the jellied juice.  Shred the lamb and throw away any large bits of fat and the bones. Put the lamb back in the dish, spoon over the jellied sauce and mix with the veg.

Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6.

Peel and slice the potatoes into rounds. Put them into a pan of cold salted water, bring to a hard boil then drain immediately. Put the potatoes back into the empty pan, pour over the cream and season well.

Arrange the potatoes on top of the lamb and drizzle the cream left in the pan over the top and dot with butter. Bake for between 40 minutes and an hour or until the top is nicely coloured and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve with some green veg.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Carbonara Cabbage

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 7 January 2014| 3 Comments »

This is delicious but very rich, plus a little goes a long way! We found this a really good twist on a classic.

Carbonara Cabbage – serves 8

  • 1kg Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
  • 12 rashers streaky bacon, chopped small
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 250ml single cream
  • 50g Parmesan, grated

Cook the cabbage for 10 minutes in a large pan of boiling salted water. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large frying pan for 7-8 minutes or until crispy, adding the garlic for the final few minutes.

Mix the cream and Parmesan in a bowl with some black pepper. Add the cream mixture and the cabbage to the bacon pan and toss everything together really well. Warm through for a few minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Carrot & Sweet Potato Mash

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 3 January 2014| Leave a Comment »

This was good served alongside a beef hotpot, but we daresay it’ll be nice against a few other dishes as well.

Carrot & Sweet Potato Mash – to serve 4

  • 500g carrots, chopped
  • 500g sweet potatoes, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, bashed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
  • 25g butter

Put the carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic in a large pan  salted water, bring to the boil and cook for about 12 minutes or until very tender, then drain. Add the cumin seeds, butter and seasoning and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Buttered Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , on 2 January 2014| 1 Comment »

For those who eat brussels sprouts more than once a year. This is a gem of a dish that we’ve done a few times now and an easy feature in any winter meal.

Buttered Sprouts with Pancetta – to serve 6

  • 100g cubed pancetta
  • 750g brussels sprouts
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 25g butter

Fry the pancetta in a non-stick frying pan for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Add the sprouts and cook for another minute. Add the stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sprouts are tender and the stock has reduced. Add the butter and season well but be careful with the salt, as the pancetta and stock should make this fairly salty already.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Pumpkin & Sage Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 1 January 2014| 1 Comment »

Sage brings an unexpected element to this soup that really works. Super warming and homely.

Pumpkin and sage soup – to serve 8

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped sage
  • 1.4kg of pumpkin or squash flesh
  • 1 tbsp clear honey
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock

Melt the oil and butter in a large pot. Add the onions and sage and cook gently for about 15 minutes or until really soft. Add the squash and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the honey and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft.

Cook before processing until smooth. Season and add a bit more stock if its too thick. Reheat to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Pork with Pears and Cream

Posted in Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , on 11 December 2013| Leave a Comment »

Jono and Jules have a new addition in the form of baby Orlaith and although we’ve managed to cobble together a few tasty dinners in the last few weeks they haven’t been worth sharing.  We’re hoping to keep cooking but it may take a little longer to edit photos and type up recipes in the coming months. We shall endeavour to keep trying.

We really loved using pears instead of the usual apples with these pork chops – a perfect cold weather dish.

Wine Suggestion: Chenin Blanc from the Loire tends to have a nice yellow apple and honeyed fruit character that goes really well with pork and fruit dishes like this. A good version, like one from Chateau Gaudrelle – Vouvray, would give you a great balance of freshness, minerality and a structure for drinking with food.

Pork with pears and cream  to serve 4

  • olive oil
  • 4 pork chops
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 pears
  • a thick slice of butter
  • 200ml perry
  • 150ml double cream

Lightly oil the chops. Chop the thyme leaves finely and use to season the chops with some salt and pepper.

Peel and core the pears and cut the flesh into large cubes. Melt the butter in a shallow pan , add the pears and cook until golden and getting tender. Set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and cook the chops over a moderate heat until cooked (about 5 minutes on each side). Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Pour the perry into the pan and stir to dissolve the sticky residue from the chops. Reduce for a few minutes until just a few tablespoons are left. Pour in the cream and bubble again for another few minutes. Return the chops and pears to the pan and heat through. Season and serve.

(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries II, Fourth Estate, 2012.)

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Cheat’s Chilli

Posted in Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 18 November 2013| Leave a Comment »

This is a doddle to whip up after work and it’s not a bad chilli for very little effort. Serve in warmed tortillas with some rocket and sour cream or in a baked potato.

Cheat’s Chilli – to serve 4

  • 500g minced beef
  • 350g jar of tomato and chilli sauce (we use our own tomato sauce which we always have a supply of in the freezer)
  • 400g tin of red kidney beans

Fry the mince in a non-stick pan until well browned. Pour in the sauce, then fill the empty jar about a third full of water and rinse out into the pan. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain and rinse the beans before adding to the meat and heat through for about 5 minutes or until the beans are hot and the sauce is thick.

 

 

 

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Leftover Chicken & Veg Pie

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 15 November 2013| 2 Comments »

This is a really simple recipe for using up leftover chicken and is easily adjusted to suit what you have in the cupboard. We seem to serve almost every pie with peas and this was no exception.

Wine Suggestion: This went perfectly with a glass of Domaine Saint Denis, Macon-Lugny 2010; a great little white burgundy that has much more presence and character than others from this area in the Mâconnais achieve. I think this has something to do with the extra care that is made in the domaine’s vineyards and it really shows – delightful round flavours and a structured mid-palate of minerally apple fruits. A wine to look out for and really versatile with food. If this domaine is hard to find, look out for a St-Véran, or Pouilly-Fuissé instead!

Leftover Chicken & Veg Pie – serves 3-4

  • 350g cooked chicken, torn into pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 carrot, chopped quite small
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 4 sliced mushrooms
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • fresh herbs, chopped (tarragon or parsley would be good or use 1 tsp dried)
  • 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten

Heat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas 7.

Heat the oil in a large pot and add the carrot, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the carrots and onions are almost soft.

Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two before adding the chicken stock. Stir continually until the sauce boils, then turn down the heat and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the veg is completely cooked through.

Add the cooked chicken, along with your herbs and plenty of seasoning. Stir briefly to heat through then transfer to a pie dish.

Brush the rim of the pie dish with the beaten egg. Then cover the dish with the pastry sheet and trim off any excess. Decorate the top with some leaves made from the pastry scraps and brush the top with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes or until well browned.

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Hummus Kawarma (lamb) with Lemon Sauce

Posted in Food, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , on 12 November 2013| 3 Comments »

We love and are fascinated by the spices, flavours and textures of the Middle East and Africa and this dish captures all of this perfectly. The spices match the freshness  and zing of lemon, the lamb contrasts with the smooth hummus and some crisp flatbreads give crunch and texture.  The freshness of the herbs balance the warming spices to produce a pleasant mix of warm and cool ingredients, still comforting despite the crisp autumn evening.

A meal in itself or a wonderful mezze / starter to share.

Wine Suggestion: We’d drink a white that has texture and freshness but not too crisp or conversely heavy. The Pinot Blancs from Alsace fit the bill perfectly as they have a bit of perfume and hints of spice as well as attractive light stone fruit flavours.

Hummus kawarma with lemon sauce – to serve 6

  • 1 quantity of hummus (see recipe below)
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted in the oven or fried in a small amount of unsalted butter

For the kawarma (lamb)

  • 300g neck fillet of lamb, finely chopped by hand
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tsp dried za’atar
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp olive oil

For the lemon sauce 

  • 10g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ¼ tsp salt

To make the kawarma, put all the ingredients apart from the butter and oil in a bowl. Mix well, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for half an hour.

Just before cooking the meat, combine all the ingredients for the lemon sauce in a small bowl.

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the meat in 2-3 batches and stir-fry for a couple of minutes per batch (the meat should be slightly pink).

Divide the hummus between 6 serving dishes and spoon the warm kawarma over the top. Drizzle over plenty of lemon sauce and garnish with some more parsley and the pine nuts.

Basic Hummus – to serve 6

  • 250g dried chickpeas
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 270g light tahini paste
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 100ml ice cold water
  • salt

Wash the chickpeas well and put into a large bowl. Cover with cold water and leave to soak overnight.

Drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan on a high heat and add the chickpeas and the bicarbonate of soda. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add 1.5 litres of fresh water and bring to the boil. Cook, skimming off any foam and skins, for between 20 and 40 minutes or until very tender (you should be able to crush them between your thumb and finger but they should not be mushy).

Drain the chickpeas and put in a food processor. Process to a stiff paste; then, with the machine running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and 1½ tsp salt. Finally, slowly drizzle in the iced water and mix for about 5 minutes or until you get a very smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming. Rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Hunter’s Stew

Posted in Beef, Food, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 3 November 2013| Leave a Comment »

An easy version of Peposo which works a treat and reheats perfectly. The peppercorns are very much the star of the show rather than the seasoning.

Wine Suggestion:  Regional foods are generally complemented by the wines of the same region so go for a good Tuscan wine that will be able to stand up to this rich stew. We had a Morisfarms Mandriolo from the Maremma.

Hunter’s Stew – to serve 4-6

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1kg stewing steak, in big chunks
  • 3 onions, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 250ml red wine
  • 1 x 400g tin tomatoes
  • 1 whole tube of tomato purée

In a large saucepan, with a tight fitting lid, heat the olive oil and brown the beef well.

Season with plenty of salt, then add the onions, garlic, and peppercorns and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and reduced.

Add the remaining ingredients, cover with a lid and cook very gently for about 2 hours, stirring regularly.

Check the seasoning after 90 minutes and add a bit of water if necessary. If it is too liquid you can remove the lid for the last 20-30 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before serving with potatoes or polenta.

(Original recipe by Domini Kemp in THE IRISH TIMES Magazine, September 21, 2013.)

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Peppercorn Eggs & Ham Baguette

Posted in Brunch, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 30 October 2013| Leave a Comment »

This was no effort at all to whip up on a Saturday for brunch. We were a bit concerned when we saw the quantity of peppercorns, but they work superbly and give much less heat than expected.

Peppercorn Eggs & Ham Baguette – to serve 4

  • large baguette, cut in 4 and sliced in half
  • good quality olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 55g unsalted butter
  • 8-12 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns, cracked in a mortar
  • a handful of basil leaves
  • 4 slices of good quality ham or prosciutto
  • 2 large tomatoes, cored and sliced

Scoop out the dough from the slices of baguette to make room for the filling. Pour olive oil over each slice and rub with the garlic clove. Put the slices on a tray and toast under a grill on both sides.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan and whisk the eggs. Add the cracked peppercorns and tip the mixture into the pan. Tumble and push the eggs around the pan with a flat wooden spatula (think half scramble, half omelette).

Remove when still soft as they will continue to cook, and season with a little salt. Put a few basil leaves on the base of 4 baguette slices, then add the ham, the tomato and finally the egg, finishing with the top pieces of baguette.

(Original recipe from Tamasin’s Kitchen Bible by Tamasin Day-Lewis, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005.)

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Moussaka

Posted in Food, Greek, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , on 28 October 2013| 12 Comments »

This is a really lovely moussaka which rates as one of our “comfort” dishes. We especially like roasting the aubergines in the oven rather than frying them which always seems to require vats of oil. The combination is a classic and is not difficult, but it does take a little time to bring together. It is always well worth it.

Wine Suggestion:  We’ve been inspired to drink wines from the Eastern Mediterranean with this and have found that top Lebanese wines, like Chateau Massaya, with their bramble and plum fruits plus velvety spices work very well indeed.

Moussaka – to serve 6

  • 3 aubergines, sliced 1cm thick
  • olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1½ lb (675g) lamb mince
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tomato, skinned, seeded and chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp tomato purée
  • a bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • a few tbsp dry white wine
  • Parmesan (optional)

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL 

  • 1 pint (600ml) full-cream milk
  • 1 onion, peeled and stuck with a couple of cloves
  •  bay leaf
  • 2oz (55g) unsalted butter
  • 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
  • nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4.

Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil on both sides then put on a baking tray in a single layer and roast until soft. You will either need to do this in batches or on two trays. They should take between 10 and 20 minutes but don’t let them get too brown.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and sauté the onions until soft and golden. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another few minutes, then add the mince and fry for 5-10 minutes or until well browned. Season and add the cinnamon, then add the chopped tomato, tomato purée and chopped parsley. Stir well, add the wine and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the wine has been absorbed.

While the meat is simmering make the béchamel. Put the onion, bay leaf and milk in a small pan and bring slowly to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for 20-30 minutes with the lid on and reheat just before starting the sauce.

Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a small pan. Just as the butter starts to foam, add the flour and stir gently for a few seconds. You want a thin bubbling base – if the butter hasn’t amalgamated with the flour, add a tiny bit more. Bubble for a couple of minutes or until it turns a pale biscuit colour. Add about half a cup of the hot milk and whisk hard until the mixture becomes thick. Add more milk and repeat – it will take longer to thicken each time.

Cook the sauce more slowly and stir with a wooden spoon – add more milk until you get the right consistency. You want the sauce to be thick but not solid. Cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring often. Season and grate in a little nutmeg about half way through.

When the sauce is ready put alternate layers of aubergine and meat sauce in a deep baking dish or roasting tin, staring and ending with a layer of aubergines. Pour a thick layer of béchamel over the top; you might not need it all. Sprinkle over some grated Parmesan if you like then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until brown on top.

(Original recipe from Tamasin’s Kitchen Bible by Tamasin Day-Lewis, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005.)

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